HSK 4 · Upper-Intermediate stories

周末的咖啡馆 · Weekend at the Café

Zhōumò de Kāfēi Guǎn — A quiet Saturday at the neighborhood café, watching strangers come and go.

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Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.

周六zhōuliù早上,zǎoshangxiàng往常wǎngcháng一样yíyànglejiā附近fùjìnde咖啡馆。kāfēi guǎn

Saturday morning, like usual, I went to the café near my home.

diǎnle一杯yì bēi拿铁,nátiěxuǎnlekàochuāngde位置。wèizhi

I ordered a latte and chose a seat by the window.

阳光yángguāng透过tòuguò玻璃bōlizhào进来,jìnlái非常fēicháng舒服。shūfu

The sunlight streamed through the glass — it was very comfortable.

旁边pángbiān桌子zhuōzishàngde老人lǎorénzài认真rènzhēndekàn报纸。bàozhǐ

An old man at the next table was reading the newspaper carefully.

两个liǎng ge学生xuéshengzài热烈rèliède讨论tǎolùn一个yí ge项目。xiàngmù

Two students were passionately discussing some project.

拿出náchū自己zìjǐde书,shūquè无法wúfǎ集中jízhōng注意力。zhùyìlì

I took out my book, but couldn't focus.

zài周末,zhōumò咖啡馆kāfēi guǎngèngxiàng一个yí ge公共gōnggòng客厅。kètīng

On weekends, the café feels more like a public living room.

大家dàjiādōuyǒu自己zìjǐde生活,shēnghuóquè一起yìqǐ分享fēnxiǎng安静ānjìngde下午。xiàwǔ

Everyone has their own life, sharing a peaceful afternoon together.

咖啡馆kāfēi guǎnde老板lǎobǎnxìng陈,Chén记得jìde每个měi ge常客chángkède口味。kǒuwèi

The café owner is surnamed Chen, and he remembers every regular's taste.

进门,jìn ménjiù知道zhīdàoyào热的rè de还是háishi冰的。bīng de

The moment I come through the door, he knows whether I want it hot or iced.

下午xiàwǔ三点sān diǎn左右,zuǒyòu阳光yángguāng慢慢mànmàndàole另一边。lìng yì biān

Around three in the afternoon, the sunlight slowly moved to the other side.

一个yí ge女孩nǚhái带着dài zhe笔记本电脑bǐjìběn diànnǎo坐下,zuò xià开始kāishǐ工作。gōngzuò

A girl sat down with a laptop and began to work.

有人yǒu rén离开líkāi的时候,de shíhou一本yì běn读完dú wándeshūliúzàile架子上。jiàzi shàng

When somebody left, they set a finished book on the shelf.

那个nà ge架子上jiàzi shàngde书,shū都是dōu shì客人kèrén留下liú xià的。de

All the books on that shelf were left behind by customers.

想,xiǎngzhè大概dàgài就是jiùshì咖啡馆kāfēi guǎn最好zuì hǎode地方。dìfang

I think this is probably the best thing about a café.

可以kěyǐ一个人yí ge rén待着,dāi zhequè不会bú huì觉得juéde孤单。gūdān

You can sit by yourself without feeling lonely.

Vocabulary in this story (113 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
周六zhōuliùSaturday
早上zǎoshangmorning
I
xiànglike
往常wǎngchángusual
一样yíyàngthe same
went to
le(past)
jiāhome
附近fùjìnnearby
de(of)
咖啡馆kāfēi guǎncafé
diǎnordered
一杯yì bēia cup of
拿铁nátiělatte
xuǎnchose
kàoby
chuāngwindow
位置wèizhiseat
阳光yángguāngsunlight
透过tòuguòthrough
玻璃bōliglass
zhàoshone
进来jìnláiin
非常fēichángvery
舒服shūfucomfortable
旁边pángbiānnext to
桌子zhuōzitable
shàngon
老人lǎorénold man
zài(progressive)
认真rènzhēncarefully
de(adverbial)
kànreading
报纸bàozhǐnewspaper
两个liǎng getwo
学生xuéshengstudents
热烈rèlièpassionately
讨论tǎolùndiscussing
一个yí geone
项目xiàngmùproject
拿出náchūtook out
自己zìjǐmy own
shūbook
quèbut
无法wúfǎcould not
集中jízhōngfocus
注意力zhùyìlìattention
周末zhōumòweekends
gèngmore
公共gōnggòngpublic
客厅kètīngliving room
大家dàjiāeveryone
dōuall
yǒuhas
生活shēnghuólife
一起yìqǐtogether
分享fēnxiǎngshare
安静ānjìngpeaceful
下午xiàwǔafternoon
老板lǎobǎnowner
xìngis surnamed
ChénChen
he
记得jìderemembers
每个měi geevery
常客chángkèregular's
口味kǒuwèitaste
the moment
进门jìn méncome through the door
jiùalready
知道zhīdàoknows
yàowant
热的rè dea hot one
还是háishior
冰的bīng dean iced one
三点sān diǎnthree o'clock
左右zuǒyòuaround
慢慢mànmànslowly
moved
dàoto
另一边lìng yì biānthe other side
女孩nǚháigirl
带着dài zhecarrying
笔记本电脑bǐjìběn diànnǎoa laptop
坐下zuò xiàsat down
开始kāishǐbegan
工作gōngzuòto work
有人yǒu rénsomebody
离开líkāileaving
的时候de shíhouwhen
(object marker)
一本yì běna
读完dú wánfinished
liúleft
架子上jiàzi shàngthe shelf
那个nà gethat
都是dōu shìare all ones
客人kèréncustomers
留下liú xiàleft behind
xiǎngthink
zhèthis
大概dàgàiprobably
就是jiùshìis exactly
最好zuì hǎobest
地方dìfangpart
you
可以kěyǐcan
一个人yí ge rénby yourself
待着dāi zhestay
不会bú huìwill not
觉得juédefeel
孤单gūdānlonely

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